A Forging Chain
by ourlastdefense
Summary: First Contact AU. The very first rule you learn when you enlist is this - don't trust the turians. But when you're betrayed and left for dead by the very people you swore your allegiance to, turns out the only people you CAN trust are the very ones you've spent months trying to kill. Eventual Shakarian.
1. The War Rages

_"Awake! Awake! Clothe yourself with strength, you arm of the LORD! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of long ago. Was it not you who split apart Rehob, who pierced that sea monster through?  
Isaiah 51:9_

_1700 standard earth hours  
__Turian Base 0287  
__Digeris Moon  
__Apien Crest  
__Castellus System_

The first time he saw her was through his scope as he lined up a shot with her head.

Dogfights overhead roared past his position above the enemy line a little too close for comfort. His spare ammo jumped and danced across the stone around him as something rumbled in the distance. His concussive ammo was running too low, but he had enough incinerating ammo to do sizable damage before he had to retreat for more.

She was nothing particularly new, at first - obviously vanguard with her heavy armor and lead position on the enemy line. He had ignored her for a while, popping off other more sizable and dangerous opponents that got too close to the encampment line for comfort. But over time she became more and more of a hassle the farther she pushed in, blowing multiple turians back with each blow of her surprisingly heavy biotics.

All in all, she quickly became a threat – and it was his job to take out threats. He eyed her position on the field, making a mental note before he drew his rifle back. He took cover behind the chipped rock wall and began scooping up ammo beside him and sliding it into his rifle with rapid precision.

"What's the count so far, Vakarian?" the turian beside him shouted over the popping of a turret.

"Lost count after sixty, Shantus. What, are you starting to get tired?" Garrus shouted back. He drew his rifle upwards and back into position.

"Ha!" Shantus barked, popping off a human engineer with ease. "You can only hope to beat my record on the field. I've been popping off humans since before you became a man, Vakarian."

Garrus laughed despite himself. His laughter died as he searched for the female vanguard through his scope. He growled deep in his throat as he realized she had grown alarmingly close to the main barricade of his encampment, and the turrets were doing a poor job of keeping her from advancing further and leading a small group of other vanguards behind her.

"Some of these humans just won't give up." Shantus commented gruffly as the butt of his rifle recoiled into his shoulder.

"Do we have any warp ammo left?" Garrus asked, dodging debris falling from a destroyed fighter. He kicked a molten piece of scrap away from his ammo as Shantus tossed him rounds.

"Just a few left. You trying to take out the vanguards?"

"Just the ones closest to the line."

Shantus tagged the vanguards at the barricade. "Spirits, how did they get that close?"

"I don't know," Garrus replied as he loaded the precious few cartridges of ammo into his rifle's chamber, "but they're not going any farther."

Garrus lined up his shot with the female's head. As he took a deep breath, he squeezed the trigger and felt the rifle recoil into his sore shoulder.

She should've been tired a long time ago, but the crackling of biotics filling the air made her almost feral. That rush of pure energy traveling through her muscles and veins? She lived for that feeling. It captivated her every fiber. There was something about being in the very thick of a battle that made her feel like an unstoppable force.

She had pushed inwards with the help of Tango and Bravo by her side matching her strike by strike – and here they were, standing before the barricade to the encampment of the last turian base on the moon.

"You guys ready to breach?" she shouted to the men on either side of her, the two holding barriers against the relentless onslaught of bullets with just a hand raised in front of them.

"Just give the word, Shepard." Bravo shouted. She nodded and quickly picked off a few turians attempting to flank them with her shotgun. As she turned around she felt it before she heard it – a bullet aimed precisely for her temple. An arm snapped out to her side effortlessly and her hand balled into a fist as her biotics caught the bullet just feet from her head. Shepard let out a shaky breath she didn't realize she had held as she let the bullet fall to the ground with a dull clink. Sometimes, her instincts still surprised her.

"Shep, waiting on your order." Tango shouted back to her. She turned to face the two in front of her.

"Go!" she shouted. And they pushed forth.

Garrus was - for the first time in his life - completely and wholly stunned speechless. She had stopped his bullet in midair before even noticing it was aimed at her. Was that even remotely possible? He watched her eyes scan the area from where it came from and he could swear she lingered on his rifle just a bit too long before turning back to her teammates. He watched her silently as she raised her hands to mimic the two beside her. Biotics flickered into existence and the three pushed the biotic barriers into the barricade. He watches turians fly off the wall and thick metal doors bend effortlessly.

The humans won the battle that day, thanks to a massive breach in the barricade.

* * *

_10 months later, aboard the Alliance Manassas  
__System Alliance space  
__95,000 light years away from Earth_

The first thing you should know about biotics is this: they are _always hungry_. Always. Just one human biotic can eat half their weight of food _in a day_. It's a bit ridiculous really, the amount of food they can put away. But when your metabolism is 400% faster than a non-biotic you really have no other choice _but_ to eat.

Imagine what dinner looks like for a biotic. Pretty chaotic, right? Now imagine that times twenty-five.

That's what Shepard had to deal with every day. Putting together a team of biotic vanguards sounds great on the battlefield and on Alliance reports. But the day-to-day stuff? Not so much.

"Shit, Tango! Watch your elbow." Shepard yanked her tray to the side, barely avoiding an elbow straight to her food.

"Sorry, S."

"Is there any hot sauce on this damn ship?" Metric yells from the back. Shepard smiled as she picked up the one in front of her and aimed.

"Holy shit, Shep! That almost took off my head." He swears as he barely manages to catch the glass bottle.

"Step it up, Met. You fight _turians_ for a living." She yells back, a smile still on her face. A group to her right roars in laughter over an unheard punch-line to an unheard joke. She keeps that dumb smile on her face as she shoves food into her face rather contently.

"It's not that good, you know." Tango nudges her playfully in the arm.

"I'm just glad to be off that moon, you know? I swear it rained a fucking _ocean_ the few days we were there. I'm going to have to replace every insulation pad in my armor!" She exclaimed behind a mouthful of food. She shoved her fork into her mouth.

"Wow, that's so attractive."

"Shut it, T."

"No, really. That's hot."

She punched his shoulder. Hard.

"Hey, you on a mission to injure your best solider?"

She snorted.

"My mission is to make sure you stay alive." She replied.

"No, your self-attributed mission is to take out that turian Vakarian, which, by the way," Bravo slid into the seat in front of her. She could've sworn he didn't even come to a complete stop before he was digging into his tray. "Why isn't he dead yet?"

She stabbed the last remnants of her potatoes and shoved them into her mouth.

"I'm not trying to kill him. We just have this…mutual respect for each other's skill?"

"And by mutual respect you mean you're taunting him." Tango clarified.

"Hey," she jabbed her fork at him, "he hasn't gotten a bullet past my barriers yet. And it's been like, what, ten months? Some sniper."

"Isn't he supposed to be like…really good though? I know for a fact he's on the Alliance threat watch." Bravo mumbled around the food in his mouth.

"Well, I mean, yeah. Just not good enough." She shrugged.

Ginger hair caught her eye as it flashed into vision. The man was scrawny and a few inches taller than the rest of the team, with glasses that never seemed to be completely clean or on the bridge of his nose, but he was a damn good pilot.

"Hey, Shepard?" he called.

"Yeah, Kilo?" she replied.

"There's something you need to take a look at."

She didn't like the strain in his voice. Exchanging looks with Bravo and Tango, she stood from her seat and dumped her tray in the sink before walking out of the raucous room. Turn right, then down the corridor. She could walk it in her sleep.

Kilo was already back in the pilot's seat running a hand through already frazzled hair.

"So the system was running the usual specs like they always do right? Except there's supposed to be nothing out here. _Except there is._"

She blinked at him.

"So…"

"_So_," he nodded, "Our systems picked up a distress beacon from a planet that isn't on our maps yet."

Shepard stood speechless.

"That's – "

"Impossible, I know. I thought it could be a trap for passing vessels – "

"But no one is supposed to be out here ."

" – I know, so I ran it through every diagnostic we have. It's civilian, and it's authentic."

She breathed through her nose slowly.

"You're _sure_."

"One hundred percent. There is no way this could be fake. Usually they'd have little things here and there in the code that would send up red flags but…there's nothing."

"Then you know what to do. How long until we land?"

"But our orders," he stuttered, pushing his glasses up by the lens.

"Are first and foremost, protect those whom we swore to protect the very first day of Academy training. Make a course, Kilo, okay? I'll tell the others to eat faster."

"Aye Commander." He relented, nodding her way as she left.

* * *

_1900 hours, breaching the atmosphere of the newly named planet XAC-837  
__95,050 light years away from Earth_

"Jesus, Delta, would it kill you to not move for five freakin' seconds? These shuttles aren't a damn dance floor, man." Yankee elbowed the man beside him.

"Shut up, it's not my fault."

"I know for a fact you weren't born with no Tourette's."

"Shut up."

"_You_ shut up."

"And here I thought this was a shuttle full of highly specialized and heavily trained vanguard soldiers." Shepard quipped from her bench spot next to Bravo and Hotel, whom could only look over at the other's childish arguments with amusement.

Delta opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by the voice crackling over their heads.

"Touchdown in t-minus two minutes, Commander."

Shepard blew through her nose in relief. "Thank you, Quebec."

The team on the shuttle became restless as the metal walls shook slightly from turbulence. Biotics hummed and crackled in anticipation. After a few months of ground time, the boys were finally getting action.

"Okay, listen up." Shepard climbed onto the bench to stand a head above the others who watched her as they loaded guns. "Easy enough mission ahead of us. A scientific community has been overrun by batarians, most likely slave traders. A distress beacon was activated somewhere in this area four days ago." She swallowed as the others looked at her grimly. She continued, "I know we weren't given the green light from Alliance headquarters to detour, but these men and women are civilians with families, and frankly we're the only ones close enough. Understood?"

The men gave a chorus of 'yes ma'ams' as guns whirred to life and biotics crackled.

"I can't land this thing properly without getting shot at by their heavies, Shep." Quebec called from the cockpit.

"No problem, Q. Just get us down as close as you can. We can handle it."

"Aye, Commander."

The shuttle doors began to whirr as they opened on either side of the ship. A warm, humid wind blew into the ship and whipped through.

"Feels like we'll be fighting through a storm. How dramatic." Tango elbowed her playfully. She grinned at him, flashing teeth.

"You were always the one with a flair for the theatrical, Tango." She replied, shoving him back.

"First one to the ground gets first shower?" he offered. He knew fully well she was never one to back down from a bet.

"You are_ so_ on, T." she turned to face him with her back against the open air. He opened his mouth to say something - no doubted witty - until he watched her fall back effortlessly.

"Goddammit!" he muttered as he jumped after her. Others began to jump, allowing their biotics to cushion their impact onto the dark soil. She was already ahead breaching the entrance of the excavation camp as if she was the damn scout in the group. The other twenty-four followed and branched out into formation as effortlessly as their training taught them. It was second nature. Check the corners. Check the higher ground. Be alert. Be vigilant. Never leave your teammates' six unguarded.

She dodged the bullet before she heard it whizz by her head.

"Inbound enemies!" she shouted, even if the others could hear her perfectly over their communications link. The bullets began to fly from both sides almost instantly and soon the biotics joined from their side. She slammed into the ground to get rid of a swarm of batarians that ambushed her and they go flying from the biotic rush. She cracks her knuckles and pumps her shotgun to reload.

They pushed towards the entrance of the ruins halfway excavated. Her team weaved through the tents and equipment taking down wave after wave of enemies until the last fell to the dirt ground.

"Feeling winded already, Commander?" Tango panted. His overheated clip whined as he emptied it onto the trampled dirt ground.

"You can only wish, T." she turned and shouldered her smoking shotgun. The batarian mercs laid lifeless on the ground, and yet she couldn't quite shake off the feeling in her gut.

"Hey, T?" she called.

"Yeah, Commander?"

"Did any of the guys see a slave ship around here?"

"Uh," he paused to look around, "not that I know of."

"Then where are all the civilians?"

He stilled, and she recognized the look on his face because she was pretty sure she was wearing the same one.

"Alright men, fall together." She called. "Partner up and spread out. A few hundred civilians don't just go missing. See if you can find out what happened here. Batarians are nasty but they're not particularly smart. I highly doubt any of them could dispose of that many bodies in such a short time. Tango, Bravo – you're with me."

The two followed her silently and the others dispersed among the abandoned encampment with a chorus of "Aye, Commander".

It was not an old settlement – in fact, it looked quite recent – which is why it did nothing to help ease the uneasy feeling she had twisting in her gut. The three wove their way through the tents, supplies, and crates towards the center of the encampment.

"You see this, right?" Bravo came to a halt.

"I…don't know what to say." Tango swallowed.

"I think that's the first time I've seen you almost speechless, T." Shepard tried to joke. She was betrayed by the crack in her voice.

Before them towered an immense and incredibly ancient stone temple created from natural rock that had a myriad of intricate carvings around the monolithic maw of a door that stood before them. To Shepard, it looked as if it was carved from one, lone rock.

Tango asked, "How did we miss this coming in?"

"Pretty sure we were more focused on the batarians trying to kill us." Bravo commented.

"Of course."

Excavation tools and handling crates were scattered and stacked all around the door, along with datapads that appeared to be hastily stacked and tossed about. Shepard bent and carefully picked up the closest one next to her boot and began to read. Her jaw tightened and her face ashened the more she read.

"What is it?" Bravo glanced around uneasily. His grip tightened around the assault rifle in his hands. She didn't blame him. The ruin seemed to emit an uneasy aura. She carefully placed the datapad back onto the crate next to her and glanced up towards the colossal door.

"We have to go in." she said.

"There's no way we can move that thing." Bravo protested.

"Sure we can." She replied.

"You think we'll find the civilians in there?"

"Maybe. Probably not."

"You still want to open the door anyway."

"You're correct."

Tango and Bravo exchanged hesitant looks with each other before reluctantly nodding.

"Aye, Commander." They said together. The two soldiers shouldered their guns and stood on either side of her. All three stared up towards the massive stone. Biotics crackled to life, and as they took their stances, the stone began to move.

* * *

2177.05.24  
CASE ID 1167XAC68392  
-ENCRYPTED-

_It's been over three months since we set up camp around the temple and we still have yet to breach the entrance. Data analysis on the stone revealed an impossible age two weeks ago, and it only makes me want to move the stone door even more. This is the archeological finding of the millennia, Rick, I can feel it. Whatever is in there can change what we know about ancient history because it predates all current and extinct species and their respective histories. This could be the discovery of our origins. If only Dad could see this, huh? Of course he'd tell us to stop trying to preserve the door and just blow the damn thing up. _

_But I also have a bad feeling about this place, brother. Sometimes at night I think I can hear something beneath the rock – and I would completely dismiss it as my own imagination, but I'm not the only one hearing it. Yvonne described it as a groaning sound, and it's the closest we've come to be able to describe it. Rick, I think something could be alive in there. But that's impossible, right? The place has been sealed since before humans invented the wheel. Attached are the schematics we've drawn up of the exterior and sketches of the carvings in the rock. See if you can spot anything we've overlooked. it'd be nice to get fresh eyes on this._

_I'll be sure to send you more information when it becomes available._

_-Christine_

2 DOCUMENT(S) ATTACHED - 13.4/13.4 GB


	2. Invocation

_AN: First of all, I want to thank everyone who has commented/followed/favorite/read so far. I am eternally grateful for the feedback! This is basically a filler chapter. Sorry. The real action will begin in the next, but we have to get the ball rolling. Also, I have something to confess – I only have about half of this story planned (whoops). So it'll be an adventure for all of us. (And please ignore any iffy science. Just remember you're reading a fanfiction.) Thanks again for reading!_

_Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

_XAC-837  
__Previously Unknown Alliance Archaeological Camp  
__1914 standard earth hours_

"You know, this is a lot harder than it looks."

"Less talking, more moving." Shepard grunted. Already the sweat beaded across her forehead and dripped down the curve of her spine. The outrageously humid air around them did little to help. Still, it yielded, inch by inch, and that was enough for them.

Her arms began to shake from the prolonged effort, but she kept her mouth shut except for the occasional grunt. The sun behind them bathed everything in a golden hue.

"_Hey Commander - Papa, Zulu, and I got the east perimeter secured."_ Echo's cheery voice crackled in her ear.

"Great. Status update on the rest?" she tried not to sound too breathless. She was pretty sure she failed.

"_Uh_," Echo stalled.

"_Uniform here with X-ray and Charlie. We got the south perimeter swept and secured."_ Uniform's gravelly voice was a stark contrast to Echo's.

"_Foxtrot, Alpha, and Yankee here. The north perimeter is clear. Nothing but storage units anyway."_

"_The rest are sweeping the outer perimeters around the camp. Lots of jungle to go through, it might be a while."_ Echo added.

"That's alright. Bravo, Tango, and I will be taking a…field trip." She finished lamely.

"You guys are going in that thing?" Uniform challenged.

"Just my two cents, but uh," Tango panted, "they try to excavate this thing and then disappear? It _might _have something to do with the big rock here."

"_Or it's most likely the batarian mercs we're stepping over_." Juliett quipped in.

"Get back to me on that when you find the slaveship." Bravo replied with false cheer. Juliett huffed in response and then went silent on the communication link. The look Shepard shot at Bravo was not a pleasant one.

At some point during the conversation, the stone had been moved halfway to reveal the inky blackness inside. Halfway was plenty enough for Shepard. The other two wasted no time lowering their arms as soon as she did, relieved from the burden.

"Kilo, you hear me?" she tapped the link in her ear. A moment passed and then static crackled in her ear.

"_Loud and clear, Commander."_

"Good. The boys and I are taking a brief adventure. If we're not back in fifteen minutes you guys need to bust your asses to come and get us."

Kilo snorted. _"You got it, Commander. Sure you don't want us to join you?"_

"No, we're fine. The rest need to keep sweeping the perimeters and radio if they find anything. Plus, you know how X-ray does in tight spaces."

"_That was one time!"_ X-ray exclaimed.

"_Aye, Commander. I'll be sitting pretty up here in the sky, monitoring vitals. Have fun in the ancient creepy tomb._" Kilo chuckled, his music blaring in the background.

"We'll try." She answered, nodding at the two beside her. Guns were pulled from holsters and engaged as the lights on the barrels flickered on. Together they moved in.

* * *

"I haven't decided yet on if this is awesome or freaky."

"Definitely awesome, T." Bravo agreed, his flashlight doing little to pierce the inky blackness around them. They all had trouble breaking through the thick darkness. Their flashlights did little more than pierce a thin way through it; not even the golden rays of the setting sun got far into the cave before the blackness swallowed it whole. It was almost tangible.

Whoever – or whatever – had created the temple had essentially hollowed out a monstrous boulder and smoothed the walls until it was little more than a cavern. Her beam of light did little to pierce through the darkness collected at the ceiling.

"Shepard, you have to see this." Bravo's voice was somber, something so different from his usual sarcastic quips. She walked over to the wall where he stood, his light shining against the stone wall. She came to a sudden halt as the painting across the wall became visible.

"Holy shit." She whispered.

"Do you know what that is? Because I sure as hell don't."

"Hopefully," she swallowed thickly, "it's something long dead."

Compared to the stick-like humanoids cowering in fear at the bottom of the mural, the creature was massive in size and so unlike anything found on Earth. Her light panned upwards and outwards, and the paintings remained the same around them. Perhaps if they could stay any longer they might have been able to decipher the story the mural was trying to tell.

"You think this is place was created to worship it?" Tango walked up behind them, whistling lowly.

"If you could call that worshiping." She replied.

Tango walked around the edges of the walls slowly, taking in the paints that stretched all around and towards an unseen ceiling.

"Well, whatever the case, seems to me like this place has a running theme – and it's that." Bravo clicked his tongue. She was transfixed. The more she stared, the more it became slightly familiar, as if it resembled -

"Hey guys, come check this out." Tango called from the center of the cave. Shepard and Bravo shared a curious look and she shrugged. Together they walked over towards Tango's sliver of light that illuminated something unseen on the floor.

A circular something, it appeared, carved from the stone ground into a separate entity. Carved around its border was a language long extinct, its meaning long lost. She bent down carefully, running her fingers across the lines and dips and sharp corners as if maybe the meaning would flow towards her fingertips and reveal itself to her.

"You guys realize we're the first people to step foot in this place in thousands of years?" Shepard smiled in awe as the realization sank in.

"You mean those archaeologists couldn't crack it?" Bravo asked quizzically.

"No, they tried for months."

"So," Tango began, looking around them. "How come we could open it pretty easily and they couldn't? I mean we're good but not _that_ good."

The three fell silent as the question settled in the air.

"I – " Shepard began, but was silenced by a deafening groan that echoed from all around them, bouncing across the walls. The ground beneath them shook violently and then stilled.

"_Hey, Commander, you guys al – "_ Her link succumbed to a roaring static before the ground beneath them shook once more.

Oh. _That_ was comforting. The circular stone beneath them began to grind and turn slowly before it completely dropped, taking the three soldiers with it.

They fell quickly, gaining momentum with every meter they dropped. The stone beneath them fell quicker than they did; leaving them in a free fall down a narrow, circular tunnel that seemed to take them towards the center of the planet.

"Dammit!" Shepard yelled around the roar of the air around her. She glanced upwards and saw the pinpricks of light beaming below as the others above rushed in too late.

"—_mander—kay-" _Her signal was lost as they fell.

Bravo tried to yell something towards her, but his voice was lost in the rushing of air around them as they plummeted. Tango tried in vain to grab the wall with his biotics, but it did nothing but bring down chunks of rock and dirt with them. It was no use; all they could do was fall helplessly.

So they fell - until the narrowed tunnel suddenly opened into a dark cavern. The three barely had time to brace themselves with biotics before they slammed into the ground unceremoniously. Shepard landed on Tango; his kneecap connected with her stomach brutally leaving her breathless beneath her armor.

"Sorry, Shepard." Tango groaned, pushing Bravo's foot off of his face.

"We're so screwed." Bravo panted, pushing himself upright.

"At least the guns made it." Shepard wheezed, lifting herself up. She froze as her eyes followed a stray beam of light pointing towards – _holy shit._

"Guys." Was all she could manage, but it was enough. The other two turned their attentions towards the front where the light pointed and froze.

"I'm not an expert on physics but..." Tango managed.

She walked towards the water as it stood before them, untouched and yet standing upright as if some invisible force kept it from drowning them all. She turned sharply, looking around them; they were surrounded by water suspended all around them – _Correction_, she thought as she looked at what she stood on – around the circular stone they stood upon. She slowly picked up her gun, realizing the underwater cavern wasn't pitch black.

And then the groaning returned, this time absolutely deafening as it shook the water around them. Shepard and the others clamped hands over their ears in a futile attempt to protect their almost-shattered eardrums.

It rose from the unseen depths, massive and terrifying. It dwarfed them as if they were nothing more than ants against a titan. It's multiple, glowing eyes stared unblinking.

"It's the creature in the paintings." Bravo paled in the harsh, blue light the monster brought with it.

"A leviathan." Shepard added, unable to look away from the being before them. "Like the monster from the old book the missionaries used to talk about on the streets when I was a kid."

"An ancient sea monster." Tango whispered, in a kind of horrified daze.

And then the titan before them spoke.

* * *

_Aboard the Turian Warship Nauxilis  
__Petra Nebula System  
__21 Standard Days Into Mission_

"You handled your first mission as Commander remarkably well, Vakarian. No casualties, neither civilian nor militant – but you lost two shuttles in the process." Captain Hydrus skimmed Garrus's mission report over holonet. Garrus stood at perfect attention though his shoulder ached from a previous injury that day regarding a malfunctioning turret on the enemy's side.

"Rigged to blow, sir. Just in case our first plan of attack didn't succeed." He answered shortly. Damn, his shoulder ached fiercely. Nothing a thirty minute scalding shower wouldn't fix.

"I see. Well, considering that's all we lost and the vorcha mercenaries dispersed, I would consider it a success. Congratulations, Vakarian."

"Thank you, sir."

"Your mission is not why I have you here, however."

Garrus's frills twitched.

"What can I do for you, Captain?" he asked politely.

"We have received word from our intelligence operation that an Alliance ship has been spotted in the Viper Nebula system." The captain admitted, reluctance clear in his voice.

"Sir, there's nothing out there-" Garrus began.

"We have a team of turian scientists out there, on the planet Akuze. Civilians, Commander. I need you and your team to head out there and see why the Alliance are so far from their system, and how they got so far away without us noticing. Protect those men and women out there, understood?" The captain's voice made it perfectly clear that Garrus could not refuse, and could definitely _not_ ask questions.

"Understood. We'll head that way at once." Garrus nodded.

"Good. Report back when you have adequate intelligence." And with that the captain's image flickered away. Garrus immediately slouched, rubbing his shoulder.

"Damn." He muttered. Looks like his shower time had just been cut down to fifteen minutes.

_From one line of fire to the next, _he thought. The door closed behind him with a quiet hiss.


	3. Desecration

Okay I know this is a bit late, and I apologize for that so here's a nicely sized chapter. Also, I made a mistake in the last chapter and used the term 'holonet'. Pretty sure that's a Star Wars thing. So, sorry. Anyways, I also want to thank everyone who has taken the time to review/follow/favorite. Seriously, I don't know why you guys like this story enough to do so but I get gleeful everytime I get the notification. You guys rock.

PS - I apologize in advance for the leviathan. Apparently they're really hard to write and also he sounds like a pompous ass. But I guess they did in the game too.

* * *

_Somewhere below the surface of XAC-837_

"You are so far from home, humans, in a domain that is not your own."

The leviathan's voice thundered all around them, vibrating deep within their chests. Shepard stood in complete awe at the creature before her.

"I – who are you?" She asked, as the other's seemed to be unable to form coherent speech at the moment with gaping mouths and wide eyes. Unprofessional, but considering the circumstances perfectly reasonable.

"Our names are insignificant."

"Our? There are more of you?"

"We are many, innumerable in age. We are keepers of incomprehensible knowledge. We are the apex race."

She swallowed down the thickness forming in her throat; her chest heavier than lead. Before her was a member of such a vastly ancient race and the questions flowed and clashed into clumsily formed sentences in her mind. Where did they come from? Why was it here so far out near the galaxy's rim? Why was it hidden away so far down below the ground's crust? She had so many questions, but when she opened her mouth, her tongue felt like a dead weight. She swallowed again. Might as well start small.

"My name is Commander Noah Shepard, from planet Earth. This is – "

"I know of your race, Shepard. I have seen the birth of it. I watched them evolve and grow from microorganisms into the flesh you are today. I have seen your empires wax and wane and I have seen your people slaughter each other mercilessly. Simple, foolish creatures destined for extinction. But I have seen your memories, Shepard. I have seen what you were and I will see what you become. You are different, so you must be the one to witness what I am about to show you."

"I – excuse me?" she sputtered. Okay, so not the most eloquent reply.

"The cycle is coming to a close. The Reapers will come."

"I'm assuming they're a threat." Tango spoke up, finally able to find his voice, though feeble it sounded.

"They are an abomination of us. They are the harvesters. You will witness."

She opened her mouth to retort, to regain some footing in the conversation that was quickly becoming unsettling, but her demand for explanations was replaced by a cry of pain at her head throbbed suddenly and violently. Her brain pulsed in bright, quick horrifying pain that clouded her vision with stars.

And then came the images in rapid precision, almost incomprehensible.

-A superior and archaic race, worshiped by lesser species-

-Bloodshed and rage and smoke—

-An advanced AI stored away in a machine replica of the leviathans—

-A sickening merge of raw flesh and wires—

-A wailing in a long dead language—

-A scattering of the fallen race across the universe into exile—

-A single member of the species traveling to the outer rim, greeted by awed natives that bowed at its magnificence—

-A temple created—

-An omen of abominated flesh and wires spreading once more throughout the galaxy—

"Stop!" she cried, her throat raw, scratched. The images left, taking with them the sharp pain clawing at her skull. She turned to the others, a need to make sure they were okay. By the looks on their pale faces they had gone through the same ordeal. She felt as rough as they looked. A sudden irritation overpowered the feeling of awe.

"You can't intrude into our minds like that. I don't care who you are or—"

"And what is to say I haven't already?" It sounded so calm, so in control. She paled. Her unorganized thoughts slammed into alignment.

"It was you. The distress beacon."

"He must've also kept the archaeologists from getting in. Didn't want an audience, huh? No wonder they couldn't crack into this place." Bravo spat.

"The distress beacon was not of my own, but the humans above were weak. Memories are easy to mold and shape to our wills." It replied, as if it was commenting on nothing but the weather. Those scientists so eager to unlock the mysteries of the long forgotten race were influenced into thinking they were trying to get in. Who knows what they were doing for all those months. She felt sick to her stomach, violated. What was her thoughts and actions and what was its? What species was so flippant to the lives and thoughts of another?

"And what makes you think we're going to believe you? Why should I believe in the 'Reapers'?" She challenged.

"Because you have no other choice. Because you know what I have shown you is true."

Damn. She wanted to be skeptical. She wanted to be in control. Yet she knew, deep in her gut, that the creature before her wasn't lying because it didn't _need_ to lie. Who wasn't to say the Reapers weren't real? She didn't know the leviathan before her was real until minutes ago.

"Shepard you can't possibly believe this." Tango said, disbelief clear in his tone. She didn't look at him but gazed hard at the massive creature before her. "Shepard? Ugh, c'mon Shepard!"

Ignoring the complaints from her teammates, she sighed, "What do I need to do?"

* * *

_Aboard the Turian Warship Nauxilis_

_2 standard hours before ETA_

_Citadel Space_

What Garrus needed at the moment was to lock himself in his shower and stand under the boiling stream of water until his plates melted off. It was the one place his chances of getting shot were zero; where no one could bother him. There were some perks of being a Commander.

"The captain wants to speak with you, Gar – I mean, Commander." Vyria spoke over the intercom.

He sighed deeply and shut the water off.

"Oh, sorry Commander, I didn't know – "

"Ah, don't worry about it, Vyria. What could he possibly want?" his talons clicked across the tile as he exited the shower, a towel tossed across his shoulder.

"No idea, but he didn't sound happy. Best not to keep him waiting." She warned, and signed off without another word. When did the captain ever sound pleased? Making himself somewhat decent, he brought up the flickering holo-image of the turian captain. The gnarled, raised scars across the captain's face were no less distorted and made it a bit harder to look the captain in the eye.

"What's your ETA, Commander?" Well. No time for brief pleasantries, it seemed.

"A little less than 2 hours, sir. Is there something you need?" Garrus stood at parade rest. He could be cordial when he wanted to.

"There's been a change of plans. Intel officers have reported an Alliance ship on its way to Akuze."

"With all due respect, sir, but didn't you say earlier there was an Alliance ship spotted in Akuze's orbit?"

"This one is a different ship, a war ship. We need you and your team to extract every turian civilian off that planet, you hear me Vakarian?"

Maybe it was the particular tone of the superior officer's voice that sent off warning bells in his head.

"I – we'll try, sir." He replied.

"Once you get everyone off of that planet you're to bomb the site, do you understand? We can't let the Alliance get their hands on anything." The captain ordered. Now that made Garrus uneasy.

"Sir, if I may ask – " he began.

"Whatever you're about to ask is classified."

Of course it was.

"Any other questions, Commander?"

"No, sir." Garrus lied. Of course there were questions. Dozens bounced across the synapses in his brain but died when they reached his tongue.

"Good. I expect a full and detailed report when you get back. Good luck, Vakarian."

With that, the captain signed off without another word. Garrus tapped his talons across the panel in front of him. Hesitating, he tapped in a number he had memorized by heart long ago. She picked up immediately.

"Not dead yet, I see."

"Good to hear you too, Solana."

"What can I say? I worry."

He shook his head at that, smiling despite himself, "Sure you do. How's it going?"

"It's…not good. The last round of treatment was two days ago. She hasn't responded to any of it." She sounded weary, and rightfully so. He squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment before asking,

"So what are our options?"

"Doctors say there's an experimental treatment that's still in development. Made by salarians or something, I think. She might respond to that better."

"I got promoted a few weeks ago."

"Oh, so you're Commander Vakarian now? Dad will be so proud." Her sarcasm didn't faze him.

"Came with a nice raise, too. Turns out the military pays pretty well if you're getting shot at on a regular basis." He half-joked. His chuckle was humorless and he knew it. So did she, by the sound of it.

"We don't need your money, Garrus."

"What am I going to do with it? I got everything I need. Mom needs the treatments."

There was a pause as Solana weighed the option.

"Dad has more than enough money. Besides, I got a new job at the clinic near Palaven."

"I'm transferring the credits when I get back. Throw them away or take them, I don't care."

"Garrus, you're as stubborn as Dad."

He shrugged before he realized she couldn't see it. "You hurt me."

"So another mission, huh? When will you get back?" she asked, changing the subject.

"It's just a small one, don't worry. Won't even take a day. I'll be home after that." He lied. Nothing about this upcoming mission sounded simple to him.

"Good. Be careful, okay?"

"I will. Tell mom I said hello."

"I will, Gar." She said, finally ending the call. Stepping away from the panel he finally fixed his haphazard buttoning as he walked out of his quarters and towards the armory.

He prepared in record time, but he still found himself late. He slid into the shuttle just as the door began to close behind him.

"Cutting it a bit close, hey Commander?" Itrus, a particularly young and cocky support specialist joked. The green tattoos across his face were months old and still held their vibrancy.

"Perfection takes time." He winked as the shuttle jerked and shook. He held onto the pole above him to keep from falling on his ass as the shuttle took off. Now wouldn't that be professional?

"Sorry for the cramped quarters, Commander, but we want to pass by the Alliance unnoticed this time. A shiny new ship would be the opposite, I think." Vyria's voice crackled across the speakers above.

"Don't worry about it. Just keep the ship flying and we'll be good to go."

"You got it." She replied.

The shuttle sped down into the planet's atmosphere, taking him and his team with it.

* * *

_Meanwhile – _

"Do you think they're dead? I think they're dead."

"Man, shut up. It's too hard to kill Shepard, and it's not like she'll let anything happen to the others."

"But they fell like, a mile or something – "

"If you guys are just going to stand around and bitch, you might as well do it while being productive." X-ray looked down at Romeo and Charlie. The two had crouched to peer into the black pit that took their Commander, along with Bravo and Tango.

"Did the guys find something?" Charlie stood, brushing the dirt off his knees. Like it mattered. The entire team was coated in a thin film of sweat, dirt, and drying blood.

"Alpha found some marks out near the edge of the forest. Looks like the batarians drug the dead scientists out into the forest after they killed them."

"That doesn't make sense." Romeo interjected.

"….You're standing in an ancient temple which hasn't been opened in a like, a shitload of years where a dark pit swallowed your Commander and two other comrades and you're worried about the thought of batarians hiding bodies so they can ambush whoever comes by?" X-ray pointed out.

"Well, if you put it like that," Romeo began before Charlie interjected.

"I hear something from down there, shut up!"

The three scurried around the hole, straining to hear something – anything – from the pit.

And what they heard – well.

"But how did the water stand up like that?"

"Idiot, he can control minds and alter memories and travel through space. I'm sure he can control some water."

"Remind me never to get stuck in an elevator with you guys. Ever." Shepard groaned.

The three around the pit sighed in visible relief as the three previously missing soldiers were lifted to the surface by the same circular stone that dropped from underneath them in the first place.

"It's so good to see you, Commander." X-Ray sighed.

"It's good to be out of there." She replied, slapping a hand on his armored shoulder when she stepped away from the stone platform when it came to a stop.

"Thanks for the concern. No seriously. I really appreciate it." Tango's voice dripped with sarcasm as he followed after Shepard and into the evening outside. Bravo could only shake his head silently and trail after Tango.

"We need to call for backup. Now." Shepard blinked back the golden light that beamed through the dense trees.

"Already did, Commander. As soon as you and the guys here fell and we couldn't see you. They should be here in fifteen minutes." X-ray jabbed his head towards the group of soldiers piling up the bodies of batarians.

"Great. Still need to talk to them." She touched her earpiece. "Hey, Kilo. I need to get ahold of Hackett."

"Whoa, how'd you get out of there?"

"Kilo."

"Right, you can tell me after."

"Thank you."

She waited, taking a seat on the crate next to her. Once she got back to the ship she was sleeping for two days.

"Hackett here. Where is your ship, Shepard? ETA was hours ago." His gravelly voice was unmistakable – and he sounded wholly unamused.

"We answered a distress beacon on this planet in the – whatever this system is. God, I can't think straight, sir. We might have stumbled on something, sir. A big, something."

Hackett's unnaturally long pause made her uncomfortable.

"What distress beacon?" he asked.

"This archaeology camp was raided by batarians, sir. We were able to take them all out, but I'm afraid we haven't found the civilians."

He paused again. Maybe there was a delay in the communication since they were out so far on the rim.

"What did you find?"

"This, this being, sir. It was colossal. It warned us of these things called Reapers. I know it sounds crazy, Admiral – I know – but I believe it. We need to warn the rest of the fleet, we need to prepare." She stood from where she sat, her sentences jumbled and disorganized just like her mind.

"And you have proof of the Reaper's existence?"

She squeezed the object in her hand. "I do, sir."

She expected objection. She expected him to call her crazy, or anything really. But she didn't expect him to jus sigh deeply as if he was disappointed.

"I see. Meet at the RV point I've sent you. Hackett out."

Her eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. Yet just as he promised, coordinates appeared with a little ding on her omni-tool.

"Hey, Tango?" she shouted, sending the coordinates to everyone with a few taps.

"Yeah, Commander?" he jogged over, clearly just as exhausted as she was. Had it only really been a few hours?

"Let's round everyone up. We got an RV point to get to."

"But what about…?" he motioned to all around him, perplexed.

"Guess the military police will be taking over. We got to get back to Earth though, and take care of the whole Reaper thing."

"Yeah, you're probably right. To be honest, I am so done with this place." He replied, shaking his head as he rounded everyone up. She was met with a chorus of "Glad to see you're alright, ma'am" and "Glad you're not dead" from the others as they grouped up. Together they set out into the forest towards the rendezvous point that was sent to her. The forest seemed to grow almost too dense to walk through.

They were constantly tripping on thick roots and swatting away flying insects that seemed attracted to the sweat clinging to their foreheads. They were all tired, she knew that. But once the other Alliance ship came to pick them up and relieve them (the shuttle engines didn't take too well to the fungal spores in the filters), they could all hit the showers and eat until they emptied the kitchen. She pushed her way through the dense foliage until she came to a sudden clearing. Well, it was clearer. They still had to step through a thicket of plants around their knees, but the trees had thinned a bit.

"This is the RV point?" Charlie commented as he attempted to wipe the sweat off of his brow with a gloved hand.

"Guess they don't want an audience or something." Juliet shrugged. She crouched, balancing on the balls of her feet. "God this humidity is killing me."

"I think I agree with you." X-Ray groaned. He slapped at his neck, warding the bugs away. Their suits were somewhat climate-controlled, but not nearly enough for the sticky heat around them. Tango turned to her, giving her his trademarked, lopsided grin.

"You're lucky you won that bet. I would kill for a shower right about now." He stretched.

"You might get to have it. I have to talk to HQ or at least give Hackett a detailed report or…or something." She shook her head, tapping at her omni-tool. Yes, they were at the exact coordinates, as weird as they were.

"Hey, you gotta relax, Shepard. I'm pretty sure those Reapers or whatever they're called aren't going to be coming around in the next few hours. Besides, your armor is covered in dry batarian blood and you reek." He playfully punched her shoulder.

"That's Commander to you, T." she joked.

"Oh sure thing, Shepard. Rub it in my face that you got the promot – " His laugh was cut short by a sniper round through the skull. His blood and brain tissue sprayed across her face and he fell silently to the ground, leaving her shocked and wide-eyed in stunned horror. The rest of the group fell into a stunned silence.

Then a barrage of bullets slammed into the unit like a brutal wave and they began to fall.


	4. Lamentation

To all those that left all those wonderful reviews – thank you! I'm so sorry I left you guys hanging with that cliffhanger for too long. I unexpectedly got a new job and it had taken up most, if not all, of my life this summer. Anyways, here's the next bit. Hope you guys enjoy! I tried hard on this one. (Hope it's not too angsty .)

* * *

Shepard didn't think herself as particularly religious.

On the streets, prayers didn't get her anywhere. It's not like she had anything against the thought of organized religion, she just never had a use for it. For her, the closest thing to a heaven was the vast galaxy above her.

But if there was a hell – a miserable, dank pit of treachery and despair – then it was this moment, as she watched half of her team fall, lifeless. Half of the team she had gone through boot camp with on day one dead before their shields could so much as sputter to life.

Yes, Shepard thought as Tango's blood still warmed her face, this was what hell must be.

The enemy was faceless in the thicket of forest growth. They must have been all around them as well, because the onslaught of bullets came from all around. Those who still survived had their guns out and shields up and teeth barred. Her biotics flared to life in her hands with viciousness before she slammed a biotic wave into the growth. She heard grunts and surprised cries as her blind attack hit. Bravo stood beside her, his pistol fired into the forest around them hoping he hit someone.

"Commander, they're flanking us!" someone called to her – Alpha? Charlie? No, Charlie had fallen into a crippled heap on top of Juliet – above the firing bullets. Of course they were flanking. She and her team were sitting ducks as long as they stayed in the clearing.

"Into the forest!" she screamed and motioned over her shoulder. With a battle cry she stormed towards the barrage with Bravo right by her side. Her initial shock had turned into a rage that made her biotics surge. She threw wave after wave of biotics without aim. X-Ray's battle cry died in his throat as a warp round pierced his throat but she still stormed. Foxtrot fell after three rounds to the chest, but not before he sent his own hail of bullets into the unseen enemy. Zulu took a rocket to the chest, his organs splattering against the trunks of the trees around him.

But still, she continued on.

They were dying too quickly, however. She needed to get them out of there. If they could just push through the enemy's line maybe they could make a run for the deeper forests and call for help –

She caught sight of their enemy within the brush. The forest hid them well, but she could discern their shapes.

They were human.

Before she could control the rush of biotics within her she charged. She slammed into the first enemy in her sights. He flew as her head connected with his chest and time seemed to slow as she heard the bones in his chest shatter and crush against her might.

Heaven help the one who thought they could kill her teammates and live.

But they were still falling around her. How many were left? Seven? Ten? Too few. No, this was not supposed to happen. Where was the Alliance? She was supposed to keep them alive. She was supposed to be a Commander, a protector –

She slammed her fist into the ground. Her biotics exploded outwards and flung the enemy soldiers like ragdolls into the trees. She heard their spines and skulls crack against the bark.

Good.

"We gotta get out of here, Bravo! Now!" she screamed. He nodded grimly. His shotgun pumped bullet after bullet into the enemies. Some shields shattered. Others didn't. They had come prepared to fight vanguards, she realized. Their abundant use of warp ammo made it clear.

They had pushed through the line at an agonizingly slow pace. The enemy had begun to dwindle in size, which allowed Shepard and her team to push through. If they could just shake them until the Alliance back up arrived –

Bravo cried out in pain and clutched his stomach. The ammo had pierced through his shields and into the armor. The explosive rounds had torn a gaping hole into his stomach. He fell to his knees, exhausted.

"No you don't, you son of a bitch." She growled. She dropped to her knees beside him and slung him across her shoulders in a fireman's carry like they had learned to do. Now she ran as fast as she could, and ignored the surviving enemy numbers that still fired at them. Those of her team that still survived ran behind her – it had fallen to three still alive – with a maddened frenzy.

They had almost made it, they had almost gotten away, but they heard it before it appeared. 'It' was a tracking rocket, launched from someone's RPG that whistled in the air before it connected into the ground behind them. All five flew from the impact. Shepard slammed into a thorny thicket and rolled a few feet before she came to a stop. Bravo fell with a cry of pain beside her, a skid mark of glistening blood behind him.

Her ears rang; everything was muffled in the distance. She blinked and tried to focus on the figures that walked towards them. Their steps were deliberate, slow. She snarled, weak though it was, from her position on the ground.

"Shepard – " Bravo groaned beside her. His voice was wet and crackled with blood.

No.

He was going to make it.

He had too.

She wasn't going to lose everyone.

One of the insurgents stopped beside Bravo and paused. She heard the sound of an omni-tool opening –

The wet sound of Bravo's flesh would haunt her sleepless nights for years.

_No._

She gathered herself and pushed upwards on her uninjured arm.

"Commander Shepard. You and your team weren't supposed to be on this planet." The voice was familiar. Perhaps that was what finally shattered her reasoning.

"Fuck you, Alenko." She spat with a growl that tore at her throat. His few soldiers behind him finished the others with their omni-blades.

And she watched them, helpless.

"Hackett gave the order for your death. For old time's sake, I'll try to make it quick."

Above her a bright flash broke across the sky, brief and silent across the dusk night.

"That should be everyone, Commander." A faceless voice called out.

Kilo.

Something shut off inside of her. She launched herself at the man before he with teeth bared.

xx

Damn, this planet was hot. Condensation had already formed across their visors and it was a pain to keep them wiped and clear.

"You got anything on the radar, Syrius?" Garrus called.

"Not much. Most likely wildlife, sir."

Well this mission was turning out to be a pain in his ass. They had walked for what felt like fifty clicks. Turned out it was only about ten or so, but the humidity made it feel like they were drowning.

"You know, I'm starting to think the Captain was pulling all this out of his ass because – "

Syrius was stopped short by the fist of his Commander that shot up in the air. The team came to a complete stop and waited with baited breath as he stood.

Whatever those people had been, they were nothing more than a group of charred corpses that looked hurriedly tossed in a pile. Some still whisped with smoke.

"Oh." Syrius breathed.

"They're close. Stay together." Garrus motioned the crew forward. His sniper rifle was already engaged with a quiet whir. The group slid through the trees as quietly as they could. The trees grew tighter together until it felt like Garrus couldn't breathe. But as soon as grew tighter, it became a sudden opening –

Filled with the bloodied mess that resembled Alliance soldiers.

Guns whirred to life and readied before Garrus could issue a command.

Gunfire that popped in the distance suddenly came to a halt with a distant explosion. They all held their breaths in baited silence.

"Make sure everyone is tuned in to the secure channel. Spread." Garrus motioned to the side with his fist. His team slipped into formation without a sound and followed him as they maneuvered around the fallen.

"Commander."

"What?"

"You gotta look at this for a minute."

"Syrius, we have a mission to complete."

"Yeah, but look."

So he did, just to shut her up – because if there was one thing Syrius was good at, it was nagging – and it stopped him for a moment. He blinked at the corpse Syrius was pointing at with her assault rifle. The bullet wounds exited out of their chests. They were shot in the back?

"I smell an ambush." Garrus rolled the body over with the heel of his foot. "Be cautious."

So they moved back into the thick forest. It felt to Garrus like they were hunting.

Tracking, watching, waiting.

So be it.

xx

Kaidan wasn't prepared for Shepard to throw herself at him with all her weight. He stumbled back before falling, but she was already at his throat before they touched the ground. With one hand around his throat, she used the other to charge as much biotic power into her fist and slammed it into his gut. His armor cracked like egg shells. She rolled as they hit the dirt. One of his backup soldiers had managed to pull a pistol out and fire at her. Her right shoulder jerked back as a bullet tore clean through her flesh. It didn't faze her much, if at all. She thought of nothing but the next kill.

That soldier was so kind to volunteer.

She charged without warning and sent him flying into the massive tree behind him. His skull flattened across the bark.

The other was next. She had her by the throat and was squeezing before the soldier could even wheeze a cry for help.

Shepard didn't look her in the eye as she blew a round into the soldier's gut. If she did, even for a moment, she knew she would see the fear and desperation in that girl's eyes and she didn't know if she could handle that.

But the thought of the dried blood on her face and armor that belonged to her best friend shut out that thought with ease.

The adrenaline ebbed.

The nameless soldier fell to the ground dead.

Shepard stumbled.

Alenko had already charged towards her. Biotics never stayed down for long. She cried out as she took the brunt of his force. She grabbed his biceps and spun him as they both flew backwards from the momentum of his charge. She managed to slam him into the nearest tree trunk before she fell to the ground. He was upon her with his omni-tool readied and pointed at her throat.

"Shepard – " Whatever he wanted to say, she didn't want to hear it. His blade pierced the superficial part of her skin where blood beaded and swelled. Her mouth twitched upward just as he stiffened for a moment.

The barrel of her sawed-off shotgun pressed into the shattered armor in front of his gut.

"Your move, bastard."

She used his pause to push his blade away and punch him in the jaw with her free hand. He rolled to the side from the force of her punch. She pushed herself up on one leg, kneeling above him with her gun pressed against the sweating skin of his neck.

She was going to do it, too. In hindsight, when she thought about that night, she was ready and willing to squeeze the trigger. It didn't matter that she had known him for years. It didn't matter that he was the first person she had gotten close to. That wasn't the man beneath her, at her mercy. The man beneath her was the person who had lead the ambush against her team – against his own comrades. She didn't know why he did it.

She just knew she was going to kill him.

And she was going to – until the ground began to shake. It was a gentle rumble that grew into a vicious quake. The ground to their left began to push upwards and quake as something pushed its way out of the ground.

The massive creature blocked the light of the moons as it grew to its full height. The worm-like beast opened its massive, four-cornered jaw and let out a roar that echoed throughout the valleys around them.

xx

PLANETARY CODEX [EDITION 124.15.2]

**THRESHER MAW**

_ANIMAL: CARNIVORE : VERTEBRAE_

_[WARNING! CLASS A PREDATOR – DO NOT ENGAGE]_

_: A VIOLENT, SUBTERRANEAN CARNIVORE THAT BURSTS FORTH FROM THE GROUND WITHOUT WARNING WHEN DISTURBED._

_: CAN SURVIVE IN EXTREME CONDITIONS. SANITIZING OF CREW MEMBERS LEAVING INFESTED WORLD IS REQUIRED PER CITADEL SPACE REGULATIONS. ANY SHIP DISREGARDING REGULATIONS WILL BE HEAVILY PUNISHED. _

_: ACIDIC DISCHARGE KNOWN TO DISSOLVE MOST ORGANIC MATTER._

* * *

AN – Sorry about Alenko. I have nothing against the character, but I needed someone Shepard knew in the past and well…he drew the short straw. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner than this one was. Thanks to those that leave reviews! They fuel my bitter, bitter heart.


	5. The First Link

AN – Has it really been that long since I updated? _Whoops._ Anyways, thanks for all those that commented/followed/favorited and all that wonderful stuff. Seriously, I think this is the most I've ever written of a story and it's because you guys keep me motivated to write….even though I don't update nearly as much as I should. Guess that's having a part-time job and full-time school for you.

* * *

Enjoy!

Oh. Oh, _shit._

The beast's roar echoed through the valleys and scattered the flying fauna in the area. Its breath was that of fetid meat and wet soil and made her stomach roil and lurch at the smell. She pushed off of Kaidan, who scrambled away from her as well. Their fight to the death seemed forgotten as the need of survival kicked into their systems.

The beast dove for them.

Shepard tucked and rolled not a moment too soon. The ground from where her foot was not a moment before crumbled apart at impact. She landed on her injured shoulder, but the pain seemed second to her intruding thought.

_This was a thresher maw. _

She didn't think about how it got to such a distant planet. She didn't think about the gun still in her hands or the chances of her escape. The only thought on her mind was of how the _hell_ she was going to get away. The thresher maw lifted its head once more and slammed itself onto the ground. Shepard lost her footing and stumbled. Kaidan wasn't having any luck as well. She glanced his way as she pulled herself up. He attempted to shot at the thresher maw's thick hide while he regained his balance. It must have been fear that made him forget it took a whole lot more than an assault rifle to pierce its hide.

It just made the thing angrier.

She used the opportunity to scramble away from the beast as Kaidan continued to waste ammo. The boom of overhead engines had her dive for the trees, however, as two more Alliance ships rumbled across the skies.

The last thing Shepard needed was enemy backup – and of _course_, that was exactly what she had. The ships circled around and whizzed by while they dropped rockets around the thresher. She rolled away from the debris that flew outwards at deadly speed.

Let them deal with the creature.

She ran in no particular direction, except for 'away'. She turned her head just in time to see the thresher maw reach for a ship just as it passed over and crush it with its tentacled jaw. The metal of the ship crumbled like foil and was tossed toward her direction. The force of the ship's impact loosened the ground beneath her. She fell as the cliff side disintegrated away and tumbled down into the valley below.

The fall was nothing like before in the small temple. Before, she was weightless. Weightless, and in the company of her two best friends.

Now, the dirt scraped and pinged across her battered armor and her even more battered skin – and she was alone. A sudden flash of pain ripped down her spinal cord and she cried out.

Her momentum came to a stop at the bottom of the incline. She ended up on her back, and for that brief moment when she caught her breath, she stared upwards into the clear sky. It was dazzling, breathtaking – so out of place despite the horrendous events in the last few hours. The sounds of the thresher maw and the popping of gunfire sounded almost distant from where she lay.

Maybe she could close her eyes and block it out.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to dry heave.

She wanted to cry and never get up. For that moment there, she wanted the thresher maw to come and end her.

Grief, she found, was a crushing weight on her chest.

Eventually, however, she found it inside of her to move an arm. From that arm she moved the other until she had pushed herself up on her elbows. Slowly – the high of adrenaline was absent now – she pushed herself upwards until she was standing. Her legs shook, but it was something. She felt the machinery on the back of her neck with a tender hand. Her biotic amp had a crack running down the center – no doubt from the fall and tumble – but somehow was still working.

She took the little miracles for what they were.

"One step, Shepard." She told herself. Her voice croaked from a parched throat, but the verbal confirmation was enough to move her foot. Then the other. Then the next. Soon she was walking again, albeit with a limp. She kept her shotgun safely clutched within her grasp.

It wasn't until she was perhaps half a click away that the launch of a flare made her whip around and gaze upwards above the tree line.

* * *

_16.8 clicks away from the turian base_

A thresher maw's roar could be heard for miles. He and his team saw its massive head rise above the tree line before it smashed itself upon the ground near its unseen victims.

"I…didn't know thresher maws were in this part of the galaxy." Syrius sounded hesitant to move forward.

"This planet is a basket full of surprises." Garrus grumbled. He saw his team stand among the undergrowth cautiously.

"Let's move around the scene and keep going." He ordered and motioned with his readied gun.

"But…" Orsa, a particularly nervous turian called from the commlink.

"Let the humans deal with it." Garrus didn't try to hide the slight satisfaction he had from his voice. They watched an Alliance dogfighter swoop around the head of the beast. It was crushed without much effort on the maw's part.

"See? The Alliance is doing a perfectly good job."

He moved them towards the west in order to bypass the skirmish. His priority was his people. He could deal with the Alliance later.

They were perhaps four and a half clicks away from the coordinates before they were distracted by a blinding red flare that rocketed towards the sky. Garrus and his team stood silent for a brief moment as they watched the light fall back towards the earth.

"Looks like we're going to have to hurry a bit." Syrius said.

"Sounds like a plan." Garrus agreed. Needless to say, Garrus and the others began to haul ass through the undergrowth. They were grossly underprepared for an entire Alliance fleet which he hoped to the spirits weren't coming.

A cargo ship rocketed above them, just mere meters from the tree line. The massive wind it created almost unsteadied them.

Well, _shit._

* * *

_5.41 hours later, 16.2 clicks to the west_

The last time she hiked such a strenuous terrain was _never_.

It's not like they had to walk such long distances before, she and her team. Sure, she had to take part in endurance marches just like every other platoon in the history of human military, but never before had she had to climb and stumble through the dips and peaks of the valley she was in for so long. To be honest, she had no idea where she was actually going. Every now and then, she retreated to the shadows the trees provided when an engine overhead became too loud. She attributed it to instinct more than the definite will for survival. Because that's what all of her actions became after a while – instinct. Head towards the brightest star she could find. Hide from the enemy. Find water.

Her head swam from weakness and pain. Everything ached, especially her shoulder. But what else could she do? If she stopped to rest she knew she'd never get back up.

So on she trudged. But with the dead silence of the forest, nothing was around to distract her from the thoughts that weighed heavy on her mind.

They're all dead.

_They're not coming back._

They were killed.

_They're not coming back._

The others are out to kill you and everyone else on this planet.

_They're not coming back._

All because you had to be a savior.

_They're not coming back._

She found herself in a dead sprint. She raced. Raced to what?

There was something up ahead.

A clearing.

She ran towards it. Her gun whirred to life in her hands. Did she even have enough ammo? Ammo for what?

She stumbled. She picked herself back up. She ran.

There, up ahead. She broke through the forest into the clearing, gun cocked and readied. Pointed at the enemy.

_They're not coming back._

Her finger was on the trigger.

Wait – it wasn't the enemy. It wasn't human.

It was turian.

She stared down at the child that stood before her.

She had never seen a turian child before.

She looked upwards to see the faces of a couple dozen turians, frozen in fear of what she would do.

Casual clothes. No guns. Civilians.

Her exhaustion crashed against her once more. She dropped her arms with a shaky breath.

She felt mortified with herself. She was falling apart, letting her fears get the better of her.

The child's mother, she assumed, rushed out to grab the child that was frozen with fear. Shepard did nothing to stop her.

She shouldered her shotgun and raised her hands, hoping the gesture of peace was universal. They seemed to get the message, but were reluctant to move.

She didn't have to say anything as a dogfighter zipped across the small clearing with amazing speed. The turians flinched and suddenly remembered their objective. They were packing and hauling crates onto whatever ships they had. Children were rounded up by mothers as fathers packed anything they could carry. They were evacuating.

Suddenly, the crazed-looking Alliance soldier that crashed out from the forest was no longer the biggest threat.

The looming Alliance fleet was.

And it dawned on her as she stood there favoring her left foot; the civilians that were caught in this master clusterfuck of a war - they had no dog in this fight. They were just trying to survive, and the Alliance thought that was unacceptable.

She approached the closest turian, who had eyed her wearily from the beginning as he strapped down crates.

"What can I do to help?" she sounded like hell. Probably looked like it too, by the look he was giving her. He blinked at her for a moment taken aback.

"And why would you want to do that, human?"

"Because the Alliance and I aren't on speaking terms at the moment. And you look like you need a hand."

No sooner had she said that had the crate slipped. She reached out to grab it just as he did, both managing to save it before it hit the ground. He gave her a nod and let her haul the crate back up with him. Together, the two packed everything onto the little shuttle with amazing speed, all the while ignoring the others that gave her weary looks.

"Where is the larger ship?" she yelled over the whine of the engines starting up.

"Dropping off the first group of families. Should be here soon to pick us up." His deeper turian voice carried better over the noise.

Again, another Alliance dogfighter screamed overhead. What were they waiting for?

"You guys are making me nervous." He said.

"I said I wasn't with them. Pretty sure I got my metaphorical discharge papers when they started firing at me." She replied. He looked alarmed, but said nothing else. He banged his fist on the metal hull of the shuttle and watched it rise slowly, before taking off into the sky.

"We have a larger ship waiting for us outside of this planet's atmosphere. Too dangerous to bring it closer with the Alliance around." He told her as they both watched the ship fly, along with other small shuttles that followed after it.

"Your military isn't here?"

"They should be, but who knows where the hell they are." He snorted.

"Hey Stax, we got a problem." A turian man ran towards them in a half-jog. His markings were almost luminescent. The turian beside her turned to him and waited patiently for the other to catch his breath.

"The shuttle can't land close. Turns out Alliance back up has finally arrived and won't let it land."

"How close can you get it?" Stax asked.

"About half a click away. I know it doesn't sound like much but – "

"The other supplies we have to carry to the ship." Stax interjected.

"Yeah. I don't know if we can make it. Inus said he saw some heading this way."

"Spirits, where is the military?"

"I can help." She interjected. The other turian must have just noticed her by the perturbed and borderline hateful look he gave.

"Relax. Turns out she's in the same boat as us. And we could use extra help."

"But she's – "

"Injured. We could take her out if we wanted to. She's not a threat."

Shepard guessed that was his way of sticking up for her…somehow.

"I can escort. I still have some strength left." She offered.

Stax nodded his head. "You're probably the only one with an actual gun, too."

"Yeah, there's that." She agreed.

"Okay. Januk, go round everyone up. Women and children first, then the men. We're going to get them out of here. Radio Inus and tell him to keep his ass there until we get to him." Stax ordered. Januk gave a noise of understanding as he ran off to deliver the messages. Stax turned to her and eyed her up and down.

"You look like hell."

"I feel like it."

"You sure you can do this?"

"Positive." She hoped she sounded more affirmative than she actually felt. Her shoulder had stiffened to the point of immobility, her head felt like it was splitting in two, and she was pretty sure she had a few broken ribs from the tumble, but that didn't surprise her.

He bought her bluff –or if he didn't, he decided not to say anything – and motioned for her to follow him. She tried to hide her limp as she approached the gathered group of women and children holding packs and small crates to go with them. They eyed her warily and kept their distance. It didn't bother her. Stax gave some short speech on what was going on that she didn't listen to. Her eyes and ears were towards the skyline above the trees. Everything had grown uncomfortably still. Nudging the turian beside her lightly, she motioned upwards.

"We need to go. It's too quiet." She said.

He nodded slowly as he realized it as well.

"Go. Januk will lead you to the ship. Just…keep them safe."

"You're not coming?"

"No, I have to stay for now and help get everything out."

"What's so important that you have to risk your life?" she found herself asking. It was ironic how the situation was so similar to what happened at the human base.

"Just odds and ends. Don't wait up for us. If we're not there in twenty minutes leave without us." He answered. From the way he sounded, she knew that was the end of that. Unwilling to press him, she gave him a short nod and walked towards the group she was charged with taking care of.

"Does that gun have enough ammo?" Januk did not sound trusting.

"Won't need it." She shrugged. Ow. Bad mistake. She balled her hands into fists and felt her biotics flickering to life around her fists. The amp on the back of her neck burned, but she ignored it. Raising her hands, she released her fists. Her biotics expanded into a solid dome that encompassed the entire group. Some children made noises of awe. Some looked at her like she was a witch. Januk just blinked in bland surprise.

"This won't last forever, you know." She tried not to laugh. He snapped to and began the trek into the jungle.

It was only half a click to their destination and then she was done. If she could survive everything she had been through so far, she could survive this, she told herself.

It could only get better, right?

* * *

AN – There will definitely be more Garrus in the next chapters. Plus the tone will pick up. I know it's a bit…sad. But the plot has to advance! And it will! Don't worry! Thanks for sticking around to read this far.


End file.
